Weft-fork mechanism for looms.



H. W. YOUNGQUIST.

WEFT FORK MECHANISM FOR LOOMS. APPLICATION Fl LED SEPT. s. 1916.

1,Q23,54, Patented Apr. 24, 1917.

invenTar. HQIITYWYOUDQQJMST by MW Attys.

HENRY W. YOUNGQUIST, OF MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO DRAPEB CORPORATION, OF HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, A COR- PORATION OIE MAINE.

WEFT-FORK MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 24, 1917.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY WV. YOUNG- UIs'r, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Manchester, county of Hillsborough, State of New Hampshire, have invented an Improvement in WVeft-Fork Mechanism for Looms, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like characters on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention relates to improvements in automatic looms in which a weft fork intermittently engages the running strand of filling and upon failure of filling bybreakage or exhaustion operates to initiate a change in the operation of the loom, such as the stoppage of the loom or the transfer of a fresh bobbin to the running shuttle.

In certain usual types of looms such as the Northrop loom the weft fork is pivotally mounted upon one end of a spring actuated slide, the opposite end of which engages either directly or indirectly, mechnism for efi'ecting the change in the operation of the loom. The slide is recessed longitudinally to provide a path for the end of a vibrating actuator, usually, an extension of the weft hammer, which carries a hook adapted to engage the loop in the tail of the weft fork upon detection of failure of filling and through it to move the slide against the resistance of the spring to cause the operation of the means for eflecting the change in the operation of the loom.

In such constructions the recess in the slide is open at the top and occasionally an operators finger wanders into this recess and is crushed by the moving actuator.

Under the workmans compensation acts of many States the mills are liable for damages for injuries to the employees thus caused although the same usually result from carelessness of the operator.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a means which will effectively prevent such injuries. This preferably is accomplished by supporting upon the moving actuator a guard adapted to cover the recess at all times, said guard preferably being an extension of the hook.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel form of hook which can be readily replaced if worn or broken without necessitating the removal of the slide or weft hammer from the loom.

Other features of the invention will more fully appear from the following description and the accompanying drawings and will be particularly pointed out in the annexed claims.

The drawings illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention and the portions of a loom to which it is applied and with which it cooperates.

In the drawings;

Figure 1 is a plan view of portions of the end of a loom showing the invention applied thereto and,

Fig. 2 is a side view of the same partially in section and partially in elevation.

The invention is shown herein as applied to the Northrop type of automatic loom which comprises means adapted to be actuated to effect a change in the operation of the loom upon detection by the weft fork of failure of filling. Inasmuch as the general structure of such looms is well known, only the parts thereof associated with the present improvements are illustrated, it being understood that the general loom structure may be and is of usual construction.

The parts of the loom illustrated herein comprise a lay 1, having the usual shuttle box 2 to receive the shuttle 8 containing the filling carrier 4:; the breast beam 5 carrying a shipper stand 6 provided with the usual bayonet slot for the shipper lever 7 and the feeling mechanism which includes a weft fork 8 pivotally supported at the end of a spring actuated slide 9 mounted in ways in a stand 10 which is rigidly secured to the breast beam by bolts or screws 11.

The slide 9, as is usual in such constructions has a bifurcated extension forming arms 12, 13 between the ends of which the weft fork is mounted upon a pivotal rod 14. A cross piece 15 located a short distance from the ends of the arms 12, 13 and preferably cast integrally therewith, serves to support the hook which is carried by a vibrating actuator in operative relation to the looped tail of the weft fork.

The vibrating actuator which usually is the weft hammer 16 extends into and reciprocates within the recess 17 between the arms 12, 13 of the slide and its amplitude of vibration carries it closely adjacent the end wall 18 of said recess so that if the finger of the operator gets into the recess it will be badly crushed. Such injuries are prevented in the present invention by providing the hook with an extension which overlies the recess and acts as a guard to prevent the insertion of the finger.

In constructions heretofore made the hook is pivotally mounted within the bifurcated end of the actuator and in the assembled machine the ends of the pivotal pin are within the side walls of the recess 17. In order therefore to replace a broken or worn hook it is necessary to remove the stand which supports the weft fork slide or to dismantle the actuator itself.

This is obviated in the present invention by providing the end of the actuator or weft hammer 16 with an upwardly extending stud 19 adapted pivotally to support the hook 20. A cotter pin 21 extending through the stud may conveniently serve to retain the hook upon the actuator, and to permit its easy removal and replacement.

The hook 20 desirably is provided witha thickened portion 22 having an aperture 23 to receive the stud 19 and with a relatively thin and broad tail or guard 2 L formed integral with or secured to said hook 520 adapted to extend at all times over the recess 17 and thereby prevent the insertion of the fin ger or any other obstruction, into the recess.

The aperture 23 in the hook should be of considerably larger diameter than the stud 19 to permit the hook to slide upon the support 15 notwithstanding the arcuate path followed by the end of the actuator.

By the construction thus disclosed, means are provided for protecting the operators from injury and also for facilitating the removal and replacement of the hook.

It is to be understood that the mechanism shown and described herein constitutes a preferred embodiment of my invention but that it is illustrative only and that various modifications may be made within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is;

1. In a loom comprising a recessed slide having a feeler member mounted thereon, a vibrating actuator reciprocating in said recess, a hook mounted upon said actuator and adapted upon detection of absence of filling to engage said feeling member and thereby to actuate the slide to effect a change in the operation of the loom; and a guard carried by said actuator covering said recess, whereby injury to the operator is prevented.

2. In a loom comprising a recessed slide having a feeling member mounted thereon, a vibrating actuator reciprocating in said recess, a hook mounted upon said actuator and adapted upon detection of absence of filling to engage said feeling member and thereby to actuate the slide to effect a change in the operation of the loom, said hook having an extension extending over and guarding said recess.

3. In a loom comprising a recessed slide having a feeling member mounted thereon, a vibrating actuator reciprocating in said recess, a hook mounted upon said actuator and adapted upon detection of absence of filling to engage said feeling member and thereby to actuate the slide to effect a change in the operation of the loom; said hook having a relatively thin integral tail piece extending over and guarding said recess.

l. In a loom comprising a recessed slide having a feeling member mounted thereon, a vibrating actuator reciprocable in said recess, an upwardly projecting stud on the end of said actuator, a hook loosely supported .upon the end of said actuator and pivoted upon said stud, adapted to engage said feeling member upon detection of failure of filling and means for detachably retaining the hook upon said actuator.

5. In a loom comprising a recessed slide having a feeling member mounted thereon, a vibrating actuator reciprocable in said recess, a stud on the end of said actuator, a member loosely pivoted upon said stud having a hook at one end adapted to engage said feeling member upon detection of failure of filling and an extension overlying said recess and means for retaining the hook upon said stud.

6. In a loom comprising a recessed slide having a feelin member mounted thereon a vibrating actuator reciprocable in said recess and having a flattened upper end, a

stud projecting upwardly from said fiattened end, a hook supported upon the flattened end of said actuator, loosely and slidably mounted upon said pivotal stud and adapted to engage said feeling member upon detection of failure of filling and means for retaining the hook upon said stud whereby the relative movement between the hook and the stud will permit the hook to move in alinement with said slide notwithstanding the arcuate movement of the end of the vibrating actuator.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

HENRY w. YoUNGQUIs'r.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. 0. 

